Moments of Bliss in Change
by luna4917
Summary: Follow up to Welcome Aboard: Who would have thought Harry would have so much happiness in his life.


**AN: Another treat for the weekend. Once again thank you to all of you who have followed this since the first, "Lonely No More." With each new view into their lives, I hope you enjoy your reading as much as I have enjoyed the writing.**

**Moments of Bliss in Change**

"Shall we go to breakfast Professor?" Severus said smirking.

"Sev, must you call me that all the time?" Harry whined.

"I enjoy watching you blush when I say it. You had better get used to it because you will be hearing it quite a lot now I assure you." Severus pulled his teaching robes from the armoire and settled them across his shoulders. "We will have to make a trip to Diagon Alley to get you some attire befitting your new position."

"There is only one position I wish to think about now and it's not my job," Harry said seductively as he wrapped his arms around his lover's waist. He trailed his tongue up Severus' neck and sucked his earlobe into his mouth giving it a tug.

Severus put his hands over Harry's on his waist and groaned at the tug on his earlobe. He parted Harry's hands and stepped forward out of range of the hands that so enjoyed trying his patients and replied, "While I do so like talking about that as well, I believe we need to get some food and you need to see your friends. They'll be wondering where you have been the last two days."

"They'll assume I've been here waiting for you, but I guess we should go and get some food."

Severus took Harry's hand and they walked out of the dungeon, Harry telling the guardian they would return after a while, and proceeded to the Great Hall.

Draco watched the couple enter and noticed Harry appeared to be walking taller and had a confidence about him that wasn't usually present. He wondered what that was about. He doubted it was simply Severus' presence that caused it as it hadn't in the past.

Severus released Harry's hand, after kissing him lightly on the mouth and headed for his position at the head table. He couldn't wait until Harry could sit next to him and everyone would know that Harry had chosen to stay with him at Hogwarts rather than follow his assumed path to becoming an Auror. He hoped he wouldn't have to wait long before that would happen but needed to discuss it with Albus first.

Harry walked to the Gryffindor table and took his place by Ron and Hermione and he noticed they seemed unusually quiet. "Hey guys, what's up?"

Ron turned to him and smiled, "Harry, we need to talk to you after breakfast. Can you break away for a bit?"

Harry was concerned. Hermione typically spoke for them not Ron, was she alright? "Uh yeah, no problem, I actually need to tell you guys something too."

"Great. Let's meet by the Room of Requirement."

Breakfast went by quickly. Harry wondering if his friends were okay and thinking about how to tell them he was now a professor and wouldn't be leaving the school again.

Ron scarfing down everything in sight and Hermione eating like the lady she was and scolding Ron for putting too much in his mouth or talking with his mouth open. Everything was as it should be - friendly banter amongst the housemates and the occasional furtive glance to his lover. Harry was happy.

As the trio finished eating, they left the Great Hall and headed toward the seventh floor and the room they sought. They stopped in front of the general area of the door's appearance and Ron requested a comfortable room for them to talk in that was completely private.

As the door appeared, Hermione pulled it open and walked in to find a lovely sitting room complete with blazing fire and plush couch and chairs and a table with a steaming pot of tea and plate of biscuits. She walked over and stretched out on the couch and Ron sat on the opposite end placing her feet in this lap. Harry took the nearest chair and they waited and to see who would start the conversation.

"Ouch," Ron said looking at Hermione who had pushed her feet into his thigh to get him to talk.

Ron chuckled and said, "Right, well Harry see, um, well we sort of have something we wanted to tell you."

"Ron we all know you two are engaged. Remember the party?"

"Yeah, well it's not that. Well, see we, actually aren't engaged anymore."

"What? Why? I haven't been gone that long." Harry said as he jumped from his chair. They seemed to still be affectionate so maybe they were still dating.

Ron took Hermione's feet from his lap and placed them on the couch as he rose to meet Harry's stance, "We got married last weekend in Hogsmead."

Harry stared for a minute, mutely looking between the two. Hermione nodded when Harry looked at her and turned to stand also.

Harry suddenly hollered, "Without me?" as he embraced Ron and patted him on his back laughing.

Hermione stood next to them quietly with her arms wrapped around her waist and watched the two. She knew Harry would get to her eventually if for no other reason than he would want to congratulate her as well, but she would give the boys their time.

"Well, we didn't want a big deal and we were walking by the church and it just sort of happened. Sorry mate, but you know Mum will want us to do it again over the summer for everyone else to see."

"Too true," Harry said hugging him again.

Hermione cleared her throat and said with uncharacteristic shyness, "And I'm pregnant."

The boys slowly turned toward the soft voice and Harry's face nearly split with the grin on it as he embraced the mum to be, gently.

Ron still stood staring at his wife, not sure what to do.

"Ronald, it's okay. Are you okay?"

Ron began to nod but his knees gave out and he plopped onto the nearest chair staring at Hermione's shy smile and his best friend standing next to her with his arm around her shoulders.

Suddenly, his face broke out with a large tooth-filled smile as he hollered, "Woo Hoo" and picked Hermione up in his arms and swung her around.

Harry laughed loudly and noticed Hermione turning an unflattering shade of green as she was spun around. "Mate, you may want to think about morning sickness and the spinning."

Ron stopped and put Hermione gently onto her feet suddenly concerned, "Baby are you okay? What can I do? Do you need anything?" He pelted her with questions as he placed a hand over her abdomen and guided her to the couch.

Hermione chuckled and cupped Ron's cheek, "Darling I'm fine not that I'm not spinning and no there is nothing I need accept to know that you're okay with this."

Ron's only response was to lean forward kissing her softly and resting his forehead against hers.

Harry silently slipped out of the room to give the couple some privacy, his news could wait. He walked down to the dungeon with his head in the clouds thinking about the couple and how happy he was for them. As he approached the guardian portrait, she sensed his distraction and opened for him without interrupting his thoughts. She was so fond of her new master and it made her so happy to see her masters so happy.

Severus stood from his chair, where he had been reading a new potions book the ministry wanted him to use, as Harry walked in and broke Harry's train of thought by inquiring about his distraction, "Darling, what has you so bubble-headed that you don't say hi when you come in?"

Harry shook his head and smiled at his Severus, liking the sound of the pronoun that floated in his head, "I just had a talk with Ron and Hermione and they had some interesting news."

Severus walked toward the kitchen and paused to kiss Harry's forehead as he passed him. "Oh and what was that?" he asked as he place the kettle on the stove.

"They got married last weekend in Hogsmead and Hermione's pregnant," Harry said as he walked over and embraced Severus.

"How nice for them," Severus said looking over Harry's head, "Did Weasley faint when he found out?"

Harry laughed and playfully hit Severus in the arm, "No, but he was stunned into silence for a minute before he whooped."

"How is it that you were not invited?" Severus asked lightly pushing Harry from his arms, "It's not because of us is it?" Severus didn't want their relationship to come between the trio in any way.

"No, it was spontaneous and Ron figures his mum will have a bird when she finds out and make them do it again over the summer for everyone else."

The kettle began to whistle and Harry stepped around Severus to shut it off.

Severus started to leave the room and stopped to say, "Harry, I need to speak with Albus for a bit. I'll be back and then we can have some lunch and celebrate the happy news." Seeing the concern pop onto Harry's face he added, "Don't worry, I won't tell him about the couple. Though chances are good he already knows."

Severus walked up to the gargoyle, gave the password and ascended the staircase to the headmaster's office. He'd been trying to compose his speech as he walked there but still wasn't sure how to say what he wanted. He'd never before found himself in the position of not knowing exactly what to say.

He knocked on the heavy oak door and waiting for a response from the occupant, becoming suddenly nervous when he heard, "Come in Severus."

Severus opened the door and walked in, taking time to firmly close the door behind him, then sat in the large oak chair in front of the headmaster's desk.

Albus eyed the wizard who sat before him. He saw the secret waiting behind the ebony eyes that shone before him and waited patiently for it to be spoken. "Tea, Severus?"

"No thank you Albus. I hope I am not interrupting anything important, but I needed to have a word with you."

"Of course my boy, you know my door is always open to you. You have nothing to fear, there is very little you could say that would upset me."

Severus blushed slightly, knowing that short of telling Albus he was going to be a full time Death Eater, he wouldn't upset the man but he was nervous none the less. "Well, it's about Harry and myself. You see, I have been thinking about our relationship quite a bit lately. While I never would have thought I could be happy with the boy, I find myself being just that," he said looking up to see a nodding Albus smiling back encouragingly.

"Well, I have decided that with Harry's decision to stay on here that I would very much like to have him continue to be by my side, and as such would like your permission to have him permanently housed in the dungeon with me instead of giving him his own chamber."

Albus' smile grew as he knew this was also a stalling tactic and allowed Severus the moment by responding, "My boy, I had no intention of separating the two of you. It would be a waste of time and we both know that. Now, what else is on your mind?"

"Albus," Severus sighed, "you know me too well. You are correct, that is not really what I wanted to talk to you about. I am seeking permission for something and I'm a little unprepared for asking. I apologize for my lack of eloquence."

Albus laughed loudly at that and said, "My permission is not needed, you have had my blessing since the beginning. I believe however, you know to whom you should pose the question do you not?"

Severus thought for a moment and nodded, "Yes," he sighed, "I do. Thank you for your blessing however."

Albus rose with Severus and walked around the desk to shake his hand, "Anything that brings you the joys you have longed deserve I will approve of."

"Thank you," Severus replied as he left the office headed for the owlery. This was going to be tricky and he didn't know if he could accomplish what he needed without a certain emerald eyed boy finding out.

Harry had endured the giddiness of his best friends all through dinner and was now enjoying a quiet evening in front of the fire in his favourite flannel pajamas and pink bunny slippers, complete with floppy ears and cotton tail, reading the Prophet when he heard the guardian hiss a welcome to Severus. He looked up as his love walked in and smiled at him and said, "Welcome home dear. How was your meeting?"

Severus chuckled, liking the way that sounded and his heart skipped a little at having Harry there to greet him that way. He walked over to where the boy was sitting and leaned over and kissed him. "Thank you love, my meeting went very well." He flicked his wand at the fading fire and sparked it anew as he took his robe of and hung it on the hook by the door. He walked back in and sat on the couch next to Harry and asked, "What are you reading?"

"The Prophet – the Lonely Hearts section. I find myself having a soft spot in my heart for it and enjoy watching messages passed back and forth between lovers in it."

Severus chuckled and said, "Only you would follow that. So do you want to hear about my meeting?"

Harry closed the paper placed it on the table next to him saying, "If you would like to tell me, sure."

"Well, I met with Albus and assured that you will be living here in the dungeon with me next year. Potions and Defense go so closely together that it makes sense to also have your office down here as well. I hope it's okay that I did that?"

"Of course. I hadn't actually thought that far ahead yet. Was that all?"

"Well no it wasn't. But the other meeting I took I will tell you about in a moment. First I want to ask you something."

Harry began to shift on the couch to face Severus but Severus stood and walked over to the fireplace and removed something only he could see from the mantel. Harry followed him quietly with his eyes as he knew Severus would tell him what was going on.

Severus approached Harry, who sat waiting on the couch, nervously tapping his bunnies, and bent to one knee. He placed his hand on Harry's knee and with a quivering voice began, "Harry, you have made by dark life suddenly bright and I find myself compelled to ask, beg if needed, for you to gift me by accepting this ring and becoming my husband?" He held, in shaking hands, a black velvet box with a titanium band nestled inside.

Harry raised his unsteady left hand toward the ring and looked at Severus, his eyes pleading for this not to be a joke. Severus nodded slightly and Harry removed the ring from the quickly discarded box. He looked at the simple band and found that if was engraved on the inside. He raised it to read, "For my life."

"Harry?"

Tears began to openly fall from Harry's eyes as he whispered, "Yes."

Severus took the ring and slipped it on Harry's finger and Harry took a moment to look at it. Then pounced on his newly affianced, knocking him backward and proceeded to show him his acceptance.

Many exhausting hours later, as they men lay sated in their bed, Harry finally inquired about the second meeting. "So, what was the second meeting about?"

Severus chuckled and began to run his fingers lightly up and down Harry's back as he described the meeting. "Well, when I spoke with Albus, I asked for permission from him to propose and he told me it wasn't his permission I needed to seek. So, I set the needed meeting."

"Well, whose permission did you need other than mine?"

"_Thank you for coming. I know that you are aware of my feelings for Harry and that he and I have become close over this past year and I hope that you can see that my feelings for him are real and strong. As such, I would like to ask you a favour. It is my intent to ask Harry to marry me tonight and I would like your permission and blessing." Severus was so nervous he released it all in one breath and then held the air that remained in his lungs while he waited for an answer._

_Stunned eyes looked back at him and a one voice responded for all, "Yes. Welcome to the family brother." Severus smiled shaking Ron's hand._


End file.
